Sr. Performance Marketing Manager - SEM & Contextual

Senior Media Buyer (SEM & Contextual)

Excel specializes in digital advertising and performance marketing, connecting consumers with insurance brands at scale. We partner with large strategic brands, supplying them with high quality prospects looking for their services. This involves owning and operating top-rated insurance websites that we promote via paid search marketing driving the highest-intent consumers looking to acquire an insurance plan to meet their needs.

Are you a highly skilled Google Ads / SEM expert with a track record of driving growth and delivering exceptional lead gen ROI on paid search and contextual networks? Excel is seeking a Senior Media Buyer (SEM & Contextual) to take full ownership of creating and optimizing high-performing campaigns across Google Ads primarily Search, plus Performance Max, Demand Gen, and Display/YouTube and contextual networks such as MediaAlpha, SureHits, and Delty, while managing substantial budgets to generate insurance leads at scale. This is a role for top-tier professionals who are strategic, data-driven, and passionate about pushing the boundaries of paid search and contextual advertising.

Key responsibilities include:

• Grow and manage substantial advertising budgets across Google Ads and contextual networks scaling spend while meeting margin, efficiency, and lead-quality targets to meet and exceed company performance goals.
• Strategize and lead large-scale Google Ads lead generation campaigns (Search, Performance Max, Demand Gen, and Display/YouTube), optimizing keyword targeting, audience signals, asset and creative impact, and campaign structure to maximize profitability and scalability.
• Drive account expansion through effective keyword targeting, search-term mining, and audience optimization across Google Ads and contextual networks.
• Leverage advanced analytics to uncover actionable insights, drive optimizations, and continuously improve campaign performance.
• Collaborate with creative teams to develop high-performing responsive search ads, Performance Max asset groups, and Demand Gen video creative (headlines, descriptions, images, and video) that resonate with high-intent audiences.
• Conduct detailed keyword, search-term, and audience research to refine targeting precision and unlock new growth opportunities.
• Proactively test and implement new Google Ads features, AI Max, Smart Bidding Exploration, and contextual-network tools to stay ahead in the ever-evolving paid search and contextual landscape.
• Analyze and communicate performance insights and strategic recommendations to leadership and stakeholders and implement them effectively.
• Experiment with various marketing angles, ad formats, and video content, building a pipeline of experimentation to accelerate test velocity and identify winning creatives and assets.
• Lead the paid search / SEM function, focusing on profitable growth and account/media expansion across Google Ads and contextual networks.

Qualifications include:

• Minimum of 5 years of advanced experience in paid search / SEM, with a focus on Google Ads (Search, Performance Max, Demand Gen, and Display/YouTube), with Microsoft (Bing) Ads as a secondary search engine; hands-on experience buying on contextual networks strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to scale campaigns profitably while navigating complex auction dynamics and algorithmic changes.
• Mastery of performance analytics, with expertise in using data to shape decisions and optimize outcomes.
• Demonstrated creativity and innovation in developing ad concepts and testing strategies.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience working cross-functionally to achieve performance goals.
• Proactive and forward-thinking, with a passion for leveraging new tools and techniques to maintain a competitive advantage.
• Deep expertise in keyword research, match types, keyword composition, SKAG/STAG strategy, Quality Score management, audience targeting, asset group and creative experimentation strategy, and Smart Bidding (tCPA/tROAS).
• Track record of growing account spend to budget and margin targets while maintaining lead quality.
• Bilingual in Russian Language a plus.

Reporting relationships:

• Reports to: Chief Growth Officer
• Direct reports: 0

Compensation mix:

• Fixed base salary
• Variable performance bonus
• Transactional Bonus
• $1,000 Learning Allowance/year
• Separate budget for conferences/events
• Company-sponsored benefits

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Short term disability insurance
• Long term disability insurance
• 401(k) plan
• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Parental leave

Some benefits may vary depending on applicability/availability.

Perks:

• Holidays, vacation, and personal paid time-off
• Work-life flexible while committed to growth
• The entire company is remote/work from home
• Company provided computer hardware/software
• Unlimited growth and development opportunities

Next steps:

If you are interested in this opportunity, want to grow with a company that is invested in you and the future, apply now to be considered for this position! It is highly recommended you read our culture memo at before applying to ensure you could be a good cultural fit.